Teaching Elementary-Aged Peers Responsive Interaction and Augmentative and Alternative Communication Strategies Within a Peer Network Intervention.

Purpose: Elementary-aged peers often need support for them to have positive interactions with classmates with autism who are minimally speaking (i.e., fewer than 30 functional spoken words). This study examined whether peers could learn to use responsive interaction strategies to support inclusive play and communication within a peer network intervention. Method: A single-case, multiple-baseline across-strategies design was used to evaluate whether an initial teaching session paired with coaching was effective to teach peers responsive interaction strategies that incorporated aided augmentative and alternative communication. Participants were two elementary-aged autistic students who were minimally speaking, four peers, and their educational team members. Results: The initial teaching paired with coaching was effective in teaching peers the three responsive interaction strategies called the Ways to Talk and Play. Additionally, the nature of interactions changed in beneficial ways when peers learned the Ways to Talk and Play. The strategies were viewed favorably by students with autism, peers, and educational team members. Conclusion: School teams can use intervention models such as this to improve outcomes for minimally speaking students with autism by equipping peers as responsive communication and play partners. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.28629023 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]